To provide more flexibility to users, some providers of electronic integrated circuits (ICs) have made available devices known by various names, such as FPGAs. FPGAs provide a relatively large degree of configuration or programming capability to the user. FPGAs provide designers with flexibility in designing systems for information/data processing. By having the ability to program or configure the FPGA, designers can effectively change the system specifications or performance. Further, end users may configure or program the FPGA to suit their applications.
In some situations, the user might desire less configuration or programming capability, and a correspondingly lower amount of electronic circuitry on the IC. In those situations, some providers, for example, Altera Corporation, have provided devices known by names such as structured application specific IC (ASIC), for example, Altera Corporation's Hardcopy devices. The user may partition an ASIC design or other design into a set of FPGAs. The user may use a model that begins with an FPGA and provides a mechanism for conversion to a structured ASIC, such as Hardcopy.